Are comedians the new protest singers? I feel like Ive been listening to less music these past few years, part of it might be me getting older, but also for sure Ive felt adrift in finding artists singing about the issues of our time in a way that really resonates with me, things that I believe a thinking person must be feeling very deeply like: social inequality and social justice; this new gilded age we live in; economic dislocation and the rise of the corporatist supremacy; that experts have declared the US no longer correctly characterized as a representative democracy; my countrys promulgation of a privatized for-profit war machine around the world and at home, as well as a privatized prison system incarcerating our population at a rate unheard of in any civilization in history, and with its focus on black Americans, re-creating slavery in this US, lives stolen for profit; the supreme hypocrisy of our foreign policy; that environmental scientists say weve passed the point of no return with our damage to this world of ours; the rising levels of temperatures, oceans, storms, war and protests around the world...the list goes on of course, and sure its not pleasant stuff, but it only grows worse the more we ignore it all, plod on with our lives in a haze engendered by mindless entertainment, celebrity obsession and fear. Although the 60s was before my time, I feel like I was moved and shaped so deeply as a young man by the protest-inspired music of that era, later thrilled by punk, NWA and Rage Against The Machine, and then the social commentary of Riot Grrrl and Seattle grunge (loathe as I am to use that word). And its not to say that there hasnt been some response in the hip hop community lately, taking a break from its more modern focus on bling, swag and narcissistic self-actualization. And thats not to say its not alive and well in other parts of the world; Ruslana at Euromaidan, Ana Tijoux in Chile, Shadia Mansour in UK/Palestine, I feel like our friends in Pussy Riot gave everyone a much needed slap in the face to remind us all what music can do, what it can mean and spark...but from here in the west, I notice that my solace has come largely from the comedians: Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Russell Brand and now John Oliver (man that piece on Ferguson last night was so dead on Johnny ma boy). I know its not a new phenomenon in comedy, I loved George Carlin, but theres a lot of good stuff around now, and perhaps the internet has made video clips more powerful or accessible that music in certain ways, sort of taken a bit from its kingdom there, but regardless of all that, I know these comedians are the folks that are saying something that feels right in my bones, that echoes my own self, and that connection is not just what can drive the ideas that lead to the action and social change, but its what can make us feel not so alone in this universe, in our human conditions, its what makes art, for me. Anyway, sorry for the late night rant, was just wanted to get that out of my head.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 05:31:33 +0000
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